Avatar of Energy: Of Water Demons
by Mountain Sky
Summary: "Look at how a single candle can both defy and define the darkness." -Anne Frank. "I am a forest, and a night of dark trees: but he who is not afraid of my darkness, will find banks full of roses under my cypresses." - Friedrich Nietzsche. Because demons are too a blessing. Book 1
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own Naruto or Avatar: The Last Air Bender._  
_**

* * *

_A long, long time ago,_- Oi! Hairless ape! No you blithering idiot! Not the ones from Mesopotamia! The ninja ones! Yes, that's it! Sorry people.-_ long ago yes, but it was right before one civilization fell, a baby blessed with the power of the greatest of the nine spirits that had come to settle during this time of semi-peace._

_In his teen years, a powerful man tried to raise the power that had almost toppled the current civilization a long time ago (to them). When the blessed child stopped the man, he absorbed the newly made beast. At the end of the child's life, the spirit within him settled down to die peacefully, as dictated by the power that bound him to the dying man bid. He had lived to see the raise and fall of civilization, and his kit was tired. He didn't expect to feel a harsh squeezing hot then a freezing cold before being wrapped in blankets and settled in a pair of feminine arms. But he settled down for a sleep, each time only coming out to learn about the civilizations as they grew and changed._

_And so our story begins after the raise and fall of two civilizations, and countless reincarnations, we have come to find our selves in a world full of people who call themselves, _benders.

* * *

"Ha!" Naruto yelled as he leaped off the top of the stairs and somersaulted in midair to land next to me.

"Come on slow poke!" he yelled as he jumped again, landing at the bottom of the stairs. I reach the bottom and run right, running untill a hand grabs me and a second one closes over my mouth as I'm pulled into a closet.

I feel the warm breath pant on my neck as the monk wearing newly dyed blue robe run past us, shaking his fist. When the echos die down, Naruto releases me with a small laugh.

"You sure you can't come today?" he asked as we step out.

"Yeah," I reply. "They said something about Avatar business."

"Too bad," Naruto replied as his hands moved. There was a poof of smoke and a copy of my friend in his (usual for him) unusual attire, a dark-red sleeve-less turtle-neck, his loose, air-bender-like dark-red pants, and the traditional amber and ruby necklace of a prince that his father Sozin had given him. "I'm gonna visit Bumi!"

And he was gone, leaving the clone behind to follow Aang back to their sleeping room.

* * *

"I still think this is amazing," I mutter as I get ready to leap. Then I take a deep breath and run right off the cliff. My legs automatically find their places on the bars of my seeming air bender's glider. I whoop as I plunge towards the earth and direct myself towards one of the natural up-drafts so I can concentrate for a moment. I fill myself with the warmth that comes naturally for fire benders, but instead of directing it out into a flame, I just let it fill me - and bubble over, till I was creating my own up-draft. I fly higher and release it, diving sharply forward, not going down as such, but forward. I let out another whoop.

* * *

Later that night, water froze in a ball around a glowing form and the large form beside it.

"Bumi . . ." Naruto said frowning. Then he collapsed to the side, face going blank as Bumi swarmed over him, calling for help and trying to wake him up.

"Naruto! Naruto!" Bumi yelled as he tried to shake Naruto, only succeeding in moving him across the floor, Naruto's body stiff.

He didn't notice the single frozen tear on Naruto's face that didn't move when he brushed it.


	2. Chapter 2

"Katara!" Soka yelled as he leapt from ice floe to ice flow after his sister.

"Come on!" she called at him as she started climbing the outside of the bowl that had opened from her water bending.

* * *

"Old king Bumi," the guard said softly, bowing at his king as he entered the room containing the frozen fire prince. I nod at him and slip in. I look up suddenly as I feel something hit the ground. Then I gasp. The tear that had been on his cheek ever since he had frozen was gone. The tear we had tried in vain to remove was gone.

"Naruto . . ." I whisper.

* * *

"Naruto!" I yell as I run through the empty courtyard. I'd seen the necklace on the skeleton's neck, but for some reason, I just can't feel that Naruto is dead. I pull the doors of my sleeping room open and pear through the darkness at the bed to see a dust covered form on the bed.

"Naruto," I say softly as I walk over to the bed.

"Aang, don't -" Katara says, her foot steps sounding behind me as she puts her hand on my shoulder. I ignore it and grab the blanket, pulling it off, and prompting a snow fall of dust. Once I could stop coughing, I stand and turn to look at the form (body, skeleton) that had been hidden by the blanket. I gasp as I see the still figure on the bed, flesh still fully formed, not a hint of rot or wound, but nothing of breath either. It was like he was dead and alive at the same time.

"Naruto . . ." I whisper, reaching out to softly touch his skin. The moment I touch the skin (still warm) the body doubles up coughing.

"A-Aang? Where the he-hell did you get all this dust?" Naruto asked, bringing the blanket up to wipe the tears off of his face.

"Naruto?" I say in a small voice. The person in front of my looks up at me with a confused look.

"No Aang, I'm a clone remember?" he said. It was at this point Katara felt the need to step in.

"You're Naruto right?"

"Yes I am, random water tribe girl," Naruto replied, looking up.

"Well the rest of the Air monks were killed a hundred years ago."

Silence. Then very slowly Naruto's head turned so that I could see that his eyes were starting to turn purple.

"I'm gonna pop my self. Aang," he said, calling for me. "Go to Bumi's. I don't know if the plans have changed, but right now, I' should be at his place."

"You sure?" I ask even as I draw my knife and hold the sharp end out at Naruto.

"I'm sure. I'll be seeing you little brother," Naruto said as he grasped the blade and was gone in a poof of smoke.

* * *

I snap my fingers to light the candles on the shrine. I carefully fold myself down to sit in front of the pictures of one of the people in my family that I didn't despise, my grand-uncle Naruto. I know most would think it was the way he looked almost like one of the water tribe's moon blessed, with his golden hair and piercing blue eyes. But that wasn't the painting that caught my attention, but rather the painting from an artist that had seen him fight one, and hadn't slept till he finished the painting of my ancestor in an almost animalistic pose, and titled it; Eien no Ichi. Eternal One.

"Hear my prayer . . ."

* * *

And in Omashu, Naruto shifted, a slight grin on his face as he sprawled out on the bed.


	3. Chapter 3

After we finally got through the Cave of Two Lovers (Finally!) we rested for a little before continuing on to Omashu. There was a little adjustment of plans, but we were finally standing at the front gates.

"My cabbages!" shouts the man who had been in front of us.

"Next! What's your name old man?" the guards called and I walk up to them.

"I'm Bonzu Pipinpadaloxicopolis, and these here are my grand-children Katara an' Sokka Pipinpadaloxicopolis," I tell them in a bright and cheery voice.

"What's your business in Omashu, Old timer?" asked the other guard.

"Now, now you whipper snapers, I'm just here to visit some old family . . ." I say, my voice trailing off as I think of Naruto. They must see something in my eyes, as they let us through. I freeze when at the last moment, they call to us and tell Sokka to take my bags.

"That's a good idea! Thanks young whipper snapper!" I call.

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Katara asked from her seat behind me.

"Yep! The King'll know where Bumi is, and this is fun!"

* * *

"And one last challenge young Air Bender, what is my name?" the old king in front of them said, cackling madly.

"Well it'll be something like Rock or Boulder right?" remarked Sokka from his place on the floor.

"No, I don't think so . . ." I murmur, thinking back to the tasks he had set me to, all of which were unconventional.

* * *

"I always said you were a mad genius Bumi!" I say as I hold my arms out for a hug from him.

"Aang . . . It's nice to see you again," Bumi said. "Now lemme guess, your here for Kuzon!"

"Bumi!" I yell at him laughing.

"Yes, yes, come on Aang, I'll take you to see Naruto. Oi! Kuzon!" the old man called to the shadows of the pillar behind him. "Let's go!"

"I'm coming," sighs the old man as he walks behind Bumi.

"Kuzon?"

* * *

"Here he is Aang," Bumi said softly, opening the door of the room. I nod as I step forward, ignoring the stillness of the room that comes from Naruto's lack of movement. Then I touch him and life spreads from my fingers.

* * *

_I'm drifting, half aware as words echo around me._

_"Naruto . . ."_

_My name, as they keep reminding me._

_"Well the rest of the air monks were killed a hundred years ago."_

_This image comes with an image of an angry water tribe girl._

_"Hear my prayer . . ."_

_These words come to me with the scent of cherry incense._

_"I need help Grand Uncle, I don't know what to do . . ."_

_This makes me frown and I focus on the incense._

_"I want to try and take the Avatar back to my father, but you were friends with him right?"_

_I feel the incense flicker, and I will it brighter._

_"I'm going to be to be the Blue Spirit."_

_The candle's light suddenly flickers in my mind, and I see a teen in the middle of transitioning to being a man, surrounded by pictures of me. I reach for the teen, and when he looks up, point to the one that was of Bumi, Aang, Kuzon, and I at Omashu's gates. I feel a head ache coming on as I look through his clothes to see the Morning Glory tile on a chain around his neck._

_"Come nephew."_

_Then he was gone and I cough as warmth spreads over my body._

* * *

"Naruto?"

The voice is timid.

"Aang? That you?" I ask, my eyes still shut.

"Yeah! It's Bumi, Kuzon and I! Do you remember the temple?"

"They're dead."

"Yeah," Aang's voice is depressed, and I reach blindly for him, crushing him into a hug.

"Idiot, what am I? Chopped dragon meat?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Uncle," I call as I pull the two sheathes up by their straps, and the man in front of me looks up. "We are leaving now. We have to tell the crew that they can go back to father."

"Zuko!" the man called and I turn, my swords over my shoulders. "What brought this on?"

"Your uncle," I say before flipping a Morning Glory tile at him. "And this."

And with that I left.

* * *

" . . . and that's what's been happening in the last hundred years," Kuzon said, finishing off his history lesson. Aang and I nod, as I frown.

"Hey, you know that Morning Glory Society I formed when we were like nine?" I ask, pulling my tile out from under my shirt.

"Yeah, what about it?" Kuzon asked as he pulled a white jade and a lotus tile out.

"Well it seems that when you broke out of your shell, I gained a spiritual semiconsciousness, and was able to hear things like prayers for me," I say as Aang pulls his tile out. "And it seems my nephew managed to be come one."

"Ilah was you real name right?" Aang asked as he used bending to spin the coin in the air. "Naruto's just a nickname or title or some thing right?"

"Yeah, but you're missing the point," I tell him. "My nephew prayed to me and I told him where I am, so he's coming here now. Aang, you probably know him, he said he had been out to capture you or some thing."

"You probably mean Zuko then, he was the first to attack us," Aang said, eyes calculating as his mind shows up to play and he turns his palm upside down, holding his pai sho tile on with high pressure. "He has a big scar over his left eye right?"

"Yep. So here's the plan, first we'll . . ."

* * *

I feel a sudden shiver go down my spine and I sit up for a moment. Then I turn to my uncle.

"Can I have my flower tile back now, Uncle?" I ask, holding a hand out. He nods and wordlessly presses it into my hand. "Thanks."

My hand closes over the tile I had found in the false bottom of the chest in my room. The Morning Glory Society had approached me when I had been playing with it in the garden.

* * *

"Child, do you know what that is you're holding?" a soft musical voice asked, accompanied by the slight chiming of bells. I look over my shoulder to see a brown-haired servant in a burned orange kimono. I frown for a moment trying to place her before I remember mother pointing her out. I hesitate but shake my head. Mother had said I could trust her, so I'll give her a chance. She gave a small laugh as she snapped a thick looking fan open, the movement accompanied by the sound of bells. "I can show you if you if you want. Your mother asked me to show you in a few years, but she wouldn't mind if I did it earlier."

"Yes, please," I say, my hand coming up to touch the necklace that was under my shirt. Mother had given it to me, and I had never quite convinced myself to get rid of it after she left, especially with the story she had told me about it.

_This is your grand uncle's_, she had said. _I'm not related to him, but you are. He was my grandfather's friend, and he gave my grandmother this as an apology for what his father had done. My grand mother told me that he was extremely sweet and that he had a second one, but not to show anyone it because it was supposed to be only for the prince or princess. It's meant to be yours, truly, but you mustn't show anyone, because they think that both are gone._

I shake my head at the servant's laugh and hurry to catch her as she walked away, bells following her movements.


	5. Chapter 5

I follow the servant lady through the hallways and down the dark hallway that everyone always said went nowhere that ended in a painting of a large fox with nine tails behind it crouched down, or rather bowing to the silhouetted figure that had what looked like a glowing circle that had the symbol the necklace I had found. The tip of the fox's nose seemed to be under the figure's hand.

The servant casts a look back at me as she pulls a necklace just like the one I had found her obi, and with the bells still jingling with her movements, and pushes it into an indent on one of the pillars framing the painting. There's a pause before a rumbling sound is heard faintly and in the shadows on the wall between the painting and the pillar that was presses against the wall, a door opens. The servant smiles at me. "Come now, let me show you what that is truly."

* * *

I frown at the book Aang had given me outside the room that was supposed to belong to his friend. I open to the table of contents to scan through it and see it there was anything interesting that I might want to check first before starting. My eyes immediately fall to the entry titled _Naruto_ and I flip towards the page it was on.

_Naruto is a title given once every generation to a person by the great sages of each nation. The sages really don't have a choice in naming the child because of the distinctive characteristics that each bears upon birth; hair like corn, three black lines upon each cheek, and a strange design on the stomach of the child. No one knows where this title came from, but many theorize that it came from the same entity that gifted us with the avatar, because the title travels in a cycle around the nations, just as the avatar does, and is always a bender in the last nation the avatar needs to learn the bending of. All recorded Narutos forsake their birth name for the title._

_The Naruto also learns some different type of power when they are around four, that has the ability to create sentient beings that look, act, and seemingly think alike the Naruto that are called clones. The Naruto also seems to learn of a martial arts style that puzzles anyone who sees it, and can not be predicted by any._

_All culture have ancient paintings of the Narutos, one of the most controversial, but beautiful, is one at the end of a dead-end hall in the fire palace. It depicts the silhouette of a figure in a long coat with a strange glowing symbol on it's back. standing in front of a massive, bowing, fox with nine tails with a fire on black background. In the painting, there isn't really a hint of the silhouette's identity, but in all records the painting is listed as "Naruto of Spirits"._

_It is unknown what purpose the Narutos may have even when analysts study the journals of past Narutos._

"Well, that's certainly enlightening," I mutter to myself, momentarily forgetting that sarcasm is Sokka's department.

""You say something?" Sokka asked from beside me from where he was sharpening the edge of his boomerang.

"Nothing!" I say before going back to the table of contents.

"What ever. Do you think they'll be done soon? I'm hungry again!" he said, looking up.

"Mmm," I reply, my nose deep in the introduction.

"We're done!" Aang shouted suddenly, throwing open the door and making Sokka jump. I look up to see the person following him and my eyes grow wide at the person.

"Finally!" Sokka yelled, putting his boomerang into the sheath on his back and the whetstone into his hip pouch again.


	6. Chapter 6

I pick at my food as I stare at Naruto. Next to me, Sokka isn't paying attention to anything as he stuffs his face.

"Psst, Sokka," I say, elbowing my brother in the side. "Look at Naruto."

"What about him?" Sokka mumbled back to me as he filled his plate and started stuffing his mouth again.

"Sokka, he's the one in the mural scroll Gran-Gran always carries around!" I whisper back at him.

"So?" he whispers back. "Why didn't you say something back at the cave?"

"I couldn't see him clearly there! There was dust in the air and we didn't really have a light source!" I hiss at him.

"What ever," he shrugged, stuffing another roll into his mouth and swallowing. "He's on our side and that's good enough for me."

I glare at him, but before I can reply, one of the guards comes running in helmet askew.

"Two people - _pant_ - at the gate - _pant_ - asking to be - _pant_ - let in," the guard said as quickly as he could.

"So? Why're you asking me?" Bumi said from across the table as Naruto sits up.

"Are they from the Fire Nation?" he asks, voice sharp. The exhausted guard nods and Naruto turns to start poking Bumi.

"Hey Bumi can I go now? I want to see if it's my nephew and my grand-nephew!" Naruto said making puppy eyes when Bumi turned.

"I thought you'd never ask!" Bumi said, and two blurs streaked away, leaving two pairs of silverware spinning before the dropped next to the plates, landing as if they'd just been set.

"Oi! Wait up you two!" Aang yelled as his silverware went spinning and he was off on an air ball.

"Come on Sokka! Let's go!" I say and stand, tugging on my brother's wrist, only to turn when he doesn't move.

"No way. The food's not gone yet," he says stubbornly before stuffing his mouth again. I roll my eyes and run off after the other four, Kuzon obviously having gone with the eaters.

* * *

My heart pounds as I run, relishing the wind in my hair. I whoop as I run ahead of Bumi down the mostly empty streets. When we get close enough to see the gates, I feel Bumi Earth bend them apart with all the feeling of an earth bender I whoop and flip into the air right as I pass the beginning of the gates and I run laughing out of them past a pair of people before doubling back.

I skid to a stop right in front of Bumi and our hands collide with just enough force to count as a clap as we crouch and Kuzon leaps over us with a whoop. Then Bumi and I stand up laughing as I pull my two necklaces out from under my shirt, the Morning glory on the second flashing for all to see for a couple of moments before I tuck it back under my shirt leaving the ruby and amber necklace free. Kuzon's falls artfully out of his shirt as he leans forward laughing and it's out long enough for one to easily glimpse the picture on its face. Bumi's, of course, is out as he twirls it on a chain, it looking natural with his purple robe - thingies he'd put back on while Aang was thinking of his name.

"So who are you?" I ask, in the general direction of the two people who I could tell were from the fire nation, my face still wearing a wind-blown smile.

"Ah, yes," the older one who is most likely my nephew smiles. I catch a glint as the younger one beside him reaches up to behind his neck and I see the necklace tied to his sash. Then I step forward with cupped hands as I see the necklace that the teen who should be my grand-nephew takes off. He places it gently into my right hand as my left hand goes up to my neck to take my necklace off. The two necklaces lie side by side and I stare at the two perfect rubies and the four perfect amber stones and I look up and smile, offering the necklace in my left hand to my grand-nephew.

"Come now, my nephew and grand-nephew! Let us have fun!" I declare the run back into the city, jumping over Aang as he whizzes through the gates.


	7. Chapter 7

My fingers trace the lines of the faces in the picture that I'd stolen from Zuzu before he left. I smile slightly as I step back from the family portrait and turn to see Mai and Ty Lee.

"You regret anything 'Zula?" Mai asked with soft eyes. Ty Lee's usually happy expression looked especially dark in its frown.

"No, he'll be back. You should know that our blood will call him," I say as I gather the supplies back into the backpack and shoulder it. I push my hair behind my ears and pull it into as low pony tail."See you when I get back."

Then I leap out of my window and into the night.

Hands quickly catch the cracks of the buildings and I swing onto the roof before quickly darting across that and onto the ground. I manage to quickly dart out of the palace and into the city. The night is fresh and young around me as I dart across the roof tops. I have to hold back my laugh of delight as the wind blows my hair around, and I smile, thankful that I'd decided to help my Zuzu when I first realised that he needed it to keep up with me. I'd learned from his way of thinking, and together we'd managed to make katas that were nothing like anything the teachers showed us, with no sharp movements as I followed Zuko's lead until we'd ingrained the form into our bodies. At the same time, we practiced those swift sharp moves, and turned them into dances that didn't take anger like our instructors said, but instead flowed from one move to the next, each a thousand times more graceful than anything the instructors tried.

I'd know, because Zuzu and I had snuck back after we were supposed to be finished to try again, only to witness the instructors trying to move like we had. And when the dances we did became as graceful as the movements we made up on our own, we included them. Then one day Zuzu had asked my if I wanted to try to make anything, and I hesitated, I truly hesitated for a moment, but then I stepped up. I settled into a stance that I remembered from one of the many lessons we had been given, and after I breath deeply, I begin to bend with sharp, twisting, graceful movements, my feet almost solidly anchored to the Earth as I spun, feet tracing circles and fire flowing like a ribbon through the air.

When I felt that I was finished, I held the out stretched pose for a second even though the fire was gone before I straightened and brushed myself off. I turned to see Zuzu stunned before he smiled. The next day, I tried to trace my steps again, but slower so Zuzu could copy.

A week later, Father turned up in the middle of our lessons, and watched as we preformed one of the dances we had only made recently. The next day, we arrived at the training grounds to find a second instructor and two girls. There was a note from father saying that we would be taking agility and evasion lessons with them. Zuko and I found out why within the first five minutes of the class, that they were just as agile as we were. Later that evening, Zuzu came running into my room to tell me about this group out Grand - Uncle had formed. It was that made up my mind. The next day, we told Mai and Ty Lee, and they came with us after lessons. They helped a lot. I jump suddenly into an alley way and quickly stuff all of my black clothes into my back , I disappear into the crowd, indistinguishable.


	8. Chapter 8

"So where to?" asks Zuko as we walk out of the city.

"First-"

"We're going straight to the North Water Tribe, stopping only to restock Appa," interrupts Naruto.

"But-"

"We will be stopping at the Northern Air Temple to see if anyone's left," Naruto interrupts again.

"That good with every one?" he asks, looking around as Aang pouted.

"No, I wanted to stop and have fun along the way!" he protested.

"Aang, I can't believe I'm the one who has to say this," Naruto said shaking his head at Aang. "If you want to have fun, then you might want to win this war first. The _world_ is at stake."

I hide my smile, glad not to have to be a voice of reason for once.

"Now come on," Naruto says, and helps the others up onto Appa.

* * *

Appa flies just above puffy white clouds, snow-capped mountains in the distance.

"Hey, we're almost at the Northern Air Temple!" Aang exclaims.

"This is where they had the championships for sky bison polo," Naruto says knowledgeably. Over the time they'd gotten back together, they'd almost seemed like twins.

"Naruto," Zuko said (Naruto didn't answer to Grand-Uncle, says it makes him feel old, and he isn't realisticly older than Zuko). "I never asked. Why were you allowed to associate with the Air Benders so much? Even if you aren't next in line, you are a prince."

"Well, I'm the Naruto," Naruto said, rolling his map up and glancing back at us. "He didn't exactly approve of that."

The Northern Air Temple sits atop a sheer peak similar to its sister temple down south. Unlike that temple, however, there are people or things flying around this one. Smoke rises in lazy pillars from a couple places among the spires. Around the temple fly many gliders. Both Aang and Naruto wear slight frowns.

"Look Aang! Air benders!" Katara exclaims, leaning out to look.

"No, they're not," Aang and Naruto reply in unison.

"What do you mean they're not? Those guys are flying!" Zuko exclaimed.

"Gliding maybe, but not flying," Aang said.

"You can tell by the way they move," Naruto added.

"They're not airbending. Those people have no spirit," Aang muttered as folds his arms. Suddenly a glider zips over our heads. The pilot laughs as he comes back towards us.

"Well they certainly seem spirited for having no spirit," I say with a raised brow. The wheelchair glider makes another pass. Aang looks at him and gets a competitive look on his face. He jumps into the air, unfolds his glider and takes off. The other gliders now fly in formation around Appa. Katara falls backward, crashing into Sokka.

"We better find some solid ground before it finds us!" Katara exclaims.

"You forget me?" Naruto asks as he leaps up to grab Appa's reigns. He lands Appa on one of the outer terrences and Zuko, Katara, and I scramble off.

"Bye guys," Naruto throws over his shoulder as he snaps the reigns and starts fumbling with something on his waist. "Yip yip!"

We all watch as he follows the two light figures in the air, and then, I gulp as I watch the four - including Appa - plumet towards the ground. Zuko raises an eyebrow as some one shouts near us. "Go Teo! Show that bald kid how it's done!"

"Anyone who can take to air must be partly crazy," he sates to me, and I nod.

"Why do you think I've started doubting my sanity since I started this trip?" I reply.


End file.
